Dana White has always been hesitant about current UFC champions moving up in weight class without good reason, but he might have to confront that sooner than later with Alex Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev both teasing that possibility in the near future.
Already a two-time light heavyweight champion after previously holding the middleweight title, Pereira has embarked on one of the most remarkable runs in UFC history since joining the company but the chance to make history as the first ever three-division champion might be too enticing to pass up. With reigning UFC heavyweight king Tom Aspinall sidelined after double eye surgery, rumors have swirled that perhaps Pereira would move up to a new division and challenge Ciryl Gane for an interim title.
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While he’s typically not on board with champions jumping weight classes, White admits that if it’s something Pereira really wanted, he would entertain the idea.
“He’s one of those guys that always steps up, does whatever we need him to do,” White said about Pereira at the UFC Houston post-fight press conference. “Whatever that guy wants to do, we would work with him.”
As much as Pereira has earned that kind of opportunity from the UFC, the same can’t be said for Chimaev, who won the middleweight title this past August but still hasn’t defended the belt.
Since his lopsided win over Dricus du Plessis to become champion, Chimaev has teased all kinds of possibilities for his next fight but more recently he dropped a message on social media that simply said “205.”
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That immediately led to speculation that Chimaev was moving to light heavyweight, and the UFC was preparing to book him in a title fight, especially if Pereira was on his way out.
Well, White quickly shot down that idea after addressing Chimaev potentially leaving middleweight and instead testing himself at light heavyweight.
“I’d like to see him defend his title at a weight first,” White said about Chimaev. “I’d like to see him defend his title before he talks about jumping around. You’re going to keep going up in weight divisions without defending? I’d rather see him defend [his title].”
As of now, neither Pereira or Chimaev have been booked in any fights but it sounds like only one of them is a real candidate for a new division and a run at another UFC title.
